Adjustable rigid support for masts and towers



J. K. ROSE A ril 19, 1960 v AEiJUSTABLE RIGID SUPPORT FOR MASTS ANDTOWERS Filed Oct. 16, 1952 :s Sheets-Sheet 1 J. K. ROSE April 19, 1960ADJUSTABLE RIGID SUPPORT FOR MASTS AND TOWERS Filed Oct. 16, 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 2 April 19, 1960 J. K. ROSE 2,933,165

ADJUSTABLE RIGID SUPPORT FOR MASTS AND TOWERS Filed on. 16. 1952 sSheets-Sheet s United States Patent F Joseph K. Rose, Chicago, Ill.Application October 16, 1952, Serial No. 314,978 3 Claims. (Cl. 18931.4)

The present invention relates to an adjustable rigid support for mastsand towers, upon which antennas for television receivers are mounted,and is particularly concerned with means for securing such masts ortowers on telescoping sections of tubing with the upper section orsections secured to the lower adjacent section by set screws to providethe required height. A tower comprises a plurality of vertical membersheld together by side members.

The mast or tower may be self-supporting, or may be supported by guywires. Generally the self-supporting mast or tower is not suitable forprivate dwellings because they are too expensive and too heavy. Thedifiiculty of mounting an adequate base support on the roof of.a privatedwelling is ordinarily an insurmountable disad vantage to the use of aself-supporting mast or tower.

The guyed type of mast or tower is not satisfactory because home ownersobject to the appearance of a multiplicity of guy wires. The flexibilityof such guy wires necessitates the use of at least three wires for whichsuitable anchoring points must be provided. Another serious disadvantageof this type of support is the occasional failure of the guy wire or theanchorage point. Such failure may cause the mast or tower to toppledown, with considerable damage to the mast or tower, antenna, andpossibly to the roof.

Although the support constructed inaccordance with my invention isillustrated in connection withthe use of a mast, it is obvious that theadvantages inherent in the invention may be utilized in connection withthe support of towers as well. The support may also be used forsupporting other types of masts, such as flag poles for instance, ifdesired.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, efiicient,inexpensive rigid support for masts or towers that can be quickly andeasily set up on any type of roof without skilled labor and in which thesupporting rods are individually adjustable longitudinally to fitproperly between the mast or tower and the anchoring points for the baseof the supporting rods.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pair of longitudinallyadjustable supporting rods that can be secured at their upper ends to arotatable support ring mounted at any desired height on the mast ortower and at their lower ends to any suitable anchoring point on theroof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotatable adjustablefitting that may be secured on varidus V supporting rod;

Patented Apr. 19, 1960 It is a further object of the invention toprovide support means for a mast or tower of such flexibility that themast or tower can be mounted at any point on any type of roof,regardless of its contour, and the supporting rods can likewise beanchored at their base to any nearby suitable point on the roof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotatable support ringthat can be secured to the mast or tower at any desired height wherebythe radial angle between the rigid supporting rods and the verticalangle between each supporting rod and the mast can be varied to fit therequirements of the particular installation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rigid support that maybe used to facilitate erection of the mast or tower which it supports,or to facilitate lowering of the mast or tower if servicing of theantenna is required at any time.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following specification, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a mast mounted on a peak roof with theend of one of the supporting rods secured to an anchoring supportmounted on the peak of the roof, and one end of the other supporting rodsecured to an outside chimney mount;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the bottom of themast mounted in a support adapted to fit the peak of a roof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rotatable support ringwith sections of the supporting rods secured thereto;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the rotatable Figure 6 is afragmentary elevational view showing the rotatable support ring securedto a one-piece mast;

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of another embodiment of therotatable support ring;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly inelevation, showing the rotatable support ring of Figure 7 secured to atelescoping mast;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing an anchorsupport for a peak roof with a portion of a supporting rod securedthereto;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of an outside chimney mountwith a portion of an angle iron supporting rod secured thereto;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of an antenna mounted on a flat roof tipwith one end of one of the supporting rods secured to an anchoringmember mounted on the top of a parapet and one end of the othersupporting rod secured to an inside chimney mount;

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view of the anchoring member which ismounted on the parapet;

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 1313 of Figure12;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly insection, showing a mast supported by a supporting rod having one endanchored to an inside chimne mount; 1

Figure 15 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the means foradjusting the length of an angle iron type of st s n and. 3. i di t splurality of telescoping sections 4and secured together member adaptedtobe secured to a flat wall surface; and Figure 17 is a diagrammatic viewshowing the manner ee imes m ston -p ak t- R er in -s h sm 1 t se..-uini ra ndt e ele 'sion mast ofone piece in-extendedposition;by-a--setscrew 6. The masts 2 and 3 are alternative equivalents, and either maybe used; to-

support an antenna 7 at its top end. The bottom end of the mast 2;or 3is pivotallymounted in an anchoring meml ber'8 mounted onthe=peak-9-of aroof 10, The mast'2 or 3 is supported by a pair of rodslland 12 whichare p s srab n th q n g -i s ez t c g y-may be tubular Although thesupporting rods may each be of the desired-length, itis desirable tomake each of them. ofla pairof: overlapping sections 13 and 14 (Figure15).

The sections. 13, and 14 each have a'plurality'of longitudinally spacedbolt holes 15 and are securedtogether in, V overlapping relationship,-by bolts 16 to provide longitudinal adjustment-sothat theoveralllength of each supporting'v rod may fit the particular installation.

The upper end of eachfiupporting. rod is secured to a rotatableringsupport 17 or 18 which encircles the mast 2or'3inte1mediate itslength. lithe one-piece mast-jZ is used, .thei'rotatable ring supportrests on a split collar19 9 of t ie dra-win gsfthere ferfsimilar mastformedof a sesame I ,..sh9w s new t e m mma? nc ud atn 21 9. 35 intowhich the bottom of the mast fits. Set screws ,36 are tightenedagainstthe maslt'to hold it in the cup. The

The mastlays substantially, parallel to the peak of the cup 35 ispivotally mounted in a U-shaped member 37 by means of a stud 38. Abolt39 secures the bottom of the member 37 to a saddle adapted to fitthe peak 9 of the roof and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

roof, as shownin dotted linesfinFigure l-I withthefisupporting rods 11and 12;wliichare'secured at one end to the rotatable ring'support;hangingjdown one side of the roof. A man installing theantennacan stand on the peak of the r'oof and p'ush themast*towards-itsverticalposition, "using either supportingrodtqobtainth; desired leverage after the mast has been partially raised.When the mast, has been raised to its upright position the supportingrod 11 is secured to an anchoring support 41, and the supporting rod12.-isthen secured to its anchoringisupport secured to themast by ascrew 20,-; as shown in Figure 6.

If the sectional mast 3 is used, the rotatable ring support rests on thetop: edge 21 of'the section 4, as shown in Figure 8. The rotatable ringsupports are alternatives, and either may be usecLin any installation.

.Referringyto -Figures 3 to 6, the rotatable ring support 17 comprises aflat plate 22 having a central aperturc'23 to; fit aroundthe mast 2=ori3to which it is applied. The

fit-of the aperture. 23 aroundthe mast is loose enough to. permitrotation of. the mast. An integral flange 24 ex tends upwardly 'atrightanglesfrom one edgeof'theplate 22 and a'bracket25havingasimilar'flange 26 is'rotatably secured to the plate adjacentanother edge by meansof a shoulderbolt 27.; The upper ends of supportingrods' ll and 12 are rotatably secured to the flanges 24 and 26respectively,, byfshoulder bolts. 28. The shoulder bolts 28 permit thesupporting rods 11 and 12 to be positioned 34 at their peripheral edge.Thefianges may be integral with the plates, or may be welded thereto.The fiat plates 29 and-30? are fi'ee-torotate relative to each other,and the plate 30 is of circular. form to eliminate the corners thatwould otherwise interfere with relative rotation of the plates bycontact with the flange 34 during such rotation. In order to simplifymanufacturethe plates 29 and 30 are preferably duplicates. of eachother. The rotation of theplates29 and '30 permits: relative angularadjustability between the supportingrods 11 and 12 which have theirupper ends se'curedto thefianges 33' and 34 by shoulder bolts similar to28;

The angular adjustability 'of the upper ends of the support rods 11 and12 simplifies the erection of the antenna because the'supporting rodsare secured to the rotatable support ring 17 or 18 beforethe mast israised on the roof, and either ofthe supportrods'is used as a prop toraise the mast to'upright position, as shown diagrammatically inElgar-e17..

The, antenna 7 is mounted on the ta er mast z'and the bottom of the mastis secured to the mQ'u'ntingSp As The installation. illustrated. inFigure 1 shows the lower. end-of-the supporting rodll secured to ananchors lug-support 41. mountedzonthe peakand the supporting, rod 12secured to an outside chimney mount 42, but either:

supporting-member. may beanchored at any point where ananchoringlsupport may be mounted. It is desirable, forthezsake'of-.stability, to maintain a radial separation, ot-approximatelybetweenthe supporting rods and an angle. of- 45 or greater. between eachrod and-the mast-.- i

The anchoring support 41 (Figure 9) comprises a saddle 43 having a flatbase 44 joining two downwardly. sloping'iflanges 45. The flanges 45 maybe bent in either direction to make the saddle fit'the peak on which itis to be'mounted; The flanges 45 may be" bent tolie. in a common. planeif. the roofsurface to which the anchor-- ingisupport' 41 isto besecuredis flat. A bracket 46,

having an integral upstanding flange 47 is secured to the flati'base" 44by means of. a bolt 48. After the" mast2 or 31" has been raised into.upright position the lower end.

ofrthe' support rod 11' isrigidly securedto flange 46 by a bolt .49..

The outside chimney mount 42, as shownin detail in Figure lt), comprisesa fiat strip 50 of thin sheet metal extending" partly around a chimney51 and having its oppositeends rigidly secured toi a metal stamping 52'by means of: eye bolts,53 andl54. The metal stamping is provided with anintegral flat base in the form .of a flange 56Twhich*exterids in'ah'orizontal plane. A bracket 57, havirig'an-upstandin'gflange 58, issecured to the flange 56 bysbolt 59. The lower end of supporting rod 12is secured to the flange 58 by means of a bolt 60. The" flange could, ofcourse, be arranged to extend vertically and'ha'v'e the lower end ofsupporting rod 12 secured" directly to it. However, it is preferred touse the bracket 57 because the bracket may be rotated slightly, beforethe'bolt 59-is tightened, to position the flange 58 parallel ing rods 62and'63 are duplicates of the rods 11' and 12, and are secured at theirupper ends to a rotatable ring support 17 or 18. Asshown in Figure 12,the mount 64 comprises a. U-shaped member 66 having a transverse bridge67 extending across the coping 68 of the parapet wall 6 9 and a pair ofdepending legs 70 straddling the coping and extending therebelow. Thelower endof each leg:70 is provided with a lug 71 which may. be integraltherewith or may be welded thereto. A. bolt 72 is threaded.

through a transversely extending aperture in each lug '71 and has a disk73 rotatably secured to its inner endyas shown at 74in Figure 13.Thedisks 73 are each provided with apluralit orsharp project-ions 75whichare pr ms. V

ably arranged in horizontal lines spaced apart a distance slightlygreater than the thickness of a standard brick.

When the bolts 72 are threaded inwardly the disks may rotate with thebolt until the projections 75 engage the edges of the bricks of wall 69.The projections then bite into the mortar between adjacent rows ofbricks and securely hold the mount 66 against displacement. A horizontalbase or flange 76 is rigidly secured to the bridge 67,

as indicated at 77. The flange 76 is provided with an aperture 78 toreceive a bolt (not shown) by means of which a bracket 79 (Figure 11)may be secured to the flange 76. The bracket 79 is a duplicate ofbracket 57, and the lower end of supporting rod 62 is secured to bracket79 in the same manner that the lower end of supporting rod 12 is securedto the bracket 57.

The inside chimney mount 65, as shown in Figure 14, comprises two angleirons 80 and 81 which are pressed against diagonally opposite corners ofa chimney 82 by a pair of oppositely threaded bars 83 and 84 havingtheir adjacent ends threaded into a turnbuckle 85. The angle iron 81projects above the top of chimney 82 and is provided with a horizontalbase or flange 86 to which a bracket 87 is secured by means of a bolt88.

The bracket 87 has an upstanding flange 89 and the lower end ofsupporting rod 63 is secured tothe flange 89 in the same manner that thelower end of the supporting rod 12 is secured to the flange. 58 ofbracket 57. In

Figure 14 the mast 3 is supported on the roof by an anchoring member 90.which is similar to the member 8, shown in Figure 2, except that a flatbase 91 has been substituted for the saddle 40. The member 37' isrotatable relative to the base 91 and is then bolted into place.

The mast may be pivoted at any angle by virtue of the cup 35 mounted inthe U-shaped member 37. V

In Figure 16 I have shown a bracket 92 having a pair of foot portions 93apertured, as indicated at 94, to

feature comprises a rigid, horizontally extending base to which isbolted a bracket having a vertical flange. In each structure the bracketmay be rotated slightly to align the surface of its vertical flange withthe adjacent lower end of the supporting rod. After the alignment isaccomplished the bolt holding the lower end of the support rod to thevertical flange is rigidly tightened, and the bolt holding the bracketto the horizontally extending flange is also tightened. When the antennarequires servicing, the supporting rods are released from the verticalflanges to which they are bolted, and the mast 2 or 3 is let down tomake the antenna accessible to a man of the roof without the necessityof using a ladder. The rigidity of the supporting rods permits either orboth of them to be used as a prop to guide the downward movement of themast and makes it easy to let the mast down carefully so that theantenna need not be damaged by falling to the roof.

Although I have described several preferred embodiments of the inventionin considerable detail, it will be understood that the descriptionthereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as manydetails may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit orscope of the appended claims. Accordingly, I do not desire to berestricted to the exact details of construction described.

I claim:

1. A mast projecting upwardly from a roof top, a support ring rotatablymounted on said mast, a pair of flanges extending perpendicularly tosaid suppoit ring, one of said flanges beign rotatably movable relativeto the other, and a pair of rigid support rods each having its upper endpivotally secured to one of said flanges.

2. An antenna assembly comprising a mast, a support for anchoring thebottom of said mast to a roof, a pair of rotatable support ringsencircling said mast intermediate its height, a pair of rigid supportingrods each having its upper end secured to one of said rotatable supportrings, the upper end of each of said rods being rotatable relative tothe axis of said mast, and a pair of anchoring members for securing thelower end of each of said supporting rods, each of said anchoringmembers including a fiat base, a bracket secured to each of said bases,each of said brackets having a flange extending angularly relative tosaid flat base, said brackets being rotatable to align said flanges withthe supporting rods, and means for securing each of said supporting rodsto the flange aligned therewith.

3. In combination, a mast, a support for rotatably anchoring the bottomof said mast, a support ring assembly encircling said mast intermediateits height, said support ring assembly comprising a pair of superimposedflat rings rotatable relative to each other, said mast being rotatablerelative to said support ring assembly, a pair of rigid supporting rodseach having its upper end pivotally secured to one of said flat ringsand an anchoring member for securing the lower end of each of saidsupporting rods.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,264Levering June 21, 1887 1,165,459 Sprague Dec. 28, 1915 1,581,325 SandsApr. 20, 1926 1,661,930 Dietrich Mar..6, 1928 1,691,864 Wicke Nov. 13,1928 1,762,740 Rains June 10, 1930 2,530,265 Phalen Nov. 14, 19502,687,863 Vogt et al'. Aug. 31, 1954 2,706,023 -Merritt Apr. 12, 1955FOREIGN PATENTS 244,210 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1947

